Respirator



Feb. 18, 1958 J. J. GAREI .ICK

RESPIRATOR 2 She ets-Sheet 1 Filed Mafch 29, 1-954 INVENTOR douw16310192104 A ORNEY Feb. 18, 1958 J. J. GARELICK 2,823,671

' RESPIRATOR I Filed March 29, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United StatesPatent RESPIRATOR Judith L, Garelieljr, Brook y N. Y-, assignor toPulmosan S t n Equ Corpora ion, Bro k y a corporation; of New YorkApplication March 29, 1954,'Serial No. 419,251 4 Cln ms- (C 3- Thepresent-invention relates to a novel and improved air-filtering deviceof the respirator type. V

The particular embodiment of the present invention,

which is illustrated in the drawings and which will be describedhereinafter in greater detail, comprises generally a hollowopen-endedbody having one end adapted to be positioned over-the nose andmouth of'jthe user, an inlet filter means onthe remote body end; andoutlet means arranged intermediate the ends of the body.

There are, of course, many respirator type filtering devices onthemarket and in the prior art, but such devices haveproved subjecttovarious serious-disadvantages under practical conditions ofuse. o. havebeen foundextremel-y uncomfortable after relatively shortperiods of use.Further,'previous devices have been ill-fitting, so as to requirefrequent adjustment, resulting in work stoppages and other delays.

An important- -feature of the present invention is the provision, in a.respirator, of) a metal insert for retaining the-rubber exhalationvalve. This ;is accomplished by the unusual shaping of the aluminumholder and the useof only one lip on the rubber valve seat. In addition,the

byforrningahead or ridge whichpresses against the edge of the-valveseat,

ltfis-a further object of the present invention, to providea'respiratorofthe type describedhaying novel and improved face-engaging means, whichare adapted t 'be c'iency ofa given quantity of adsorbent is higher whenthe-adsorbent is used in a single cartridge rather than dividedandused-intwo smaller cartridges as in comparative, competitive models.'Hence, it is a further object of the invention to provide a respiratorutilizing asingle replaceable-cartridge or canister of'adsorbentmaterial.

lt-isa further: object of the present invention to, provide a respiratorhaving the characteristics mentioned in the foregoing-paragraphs,whichis simple inconstructionand durable inuse, which is effective for itsintended Purposes; and which can be manufactured and sold at .areasonablecost.

(Dther objects-of the present invention. will become apparent uponreading thefollowing specification and'referring tattle-accompanyingdrawings, which form a, ma-

terialpart of this disclosure. I

The-invention accordingly consists in the featuresaof construction,combinationsof' elements, and arrangements of arts, which will beexemplified in the, construction For example, such devices 2,823,671tanned Feb. 18, 195.8

hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be indicated by theappended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. ,1 is a side elevational view showing a respirator constructed inaccordance with the .present invention, the face-engaging .means beingillustrated in solid lines as removed from the mask, and shown inassembled condition in .dot-and-dash outline.

Fig. 2 is a rearelevational view showing the respirator of the presentinvention with. the face-engaging means detached therefrom.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevational view of the face-engaging means.

Fig. 4 is a'frontelevational view of the face-engaging means.

Fig.5 is a sectional view, taken. substantially along the =valve-isheld-securelyin place and a perfect seal obtained Fig. 6 is. a partial,bottom plan view of the mask assembled with the face-engaging member. I

Fig. 7' is a partial top plan view, partly in section,,;illustrating themask in assembled relation with the facee aging ember. s 7

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the embodiment of theinvention illustrated therein comprises a hollow aluminum or other metalbody 10 converging from its rearwardend 11 to its forward end1 2 Thebody is provided ,on its upper, .exterior surface with one matingelement 16 of a snap fastener, and is provided; on its opposite side,exterior -s urfaces with a pair of lugs 14', .14, all for a purposeappearing presently. The. b-Qttom side oi -the, bod'yll) is formedintermediate its ends with an aperture 15'(, Fig. 5

Arranged across the front end. 12 .of'the body 10 1s, a in-let filtercup 19 disposed eccentrieall'y withrespeet'to the -front1body, end 12'and formed with an. opening, .20 communicating with the interior ofthebody. The, walls of t-he cup 19 are preferably threadedor corrugatedlas,at 21;. In Fig. 5", it will" be noted" that an .annular portion 18-of'the cup- 1915 upset through the front end 12 ,ofthe 'body'10' andspread about the inieriprthe fquf' to fixedly secure the cup to thebody.

Disposed within the cup opening ztl and'the fiont .liody opening 12 isan apertured plate or. spider 12,,wliich. has aflexible resilient-sheet;23 arranged closely adjacent-to and interiorly of the spider,andfixedly. secured. thereto by a centrally disposed rivet 2'4. Hence,the spider. 22 and sheet; 23' combine, to provide a one way, inlet valvecommunicating between the interiorof the cup. ,19fand the body-1'0;

A gasket-27'is-seatedjin the bottom walllof'the-.cup:19 and a filterelement or eartridge .28. pneferably cylindrical in configuration, isthreadedly andremovably securedin the cup in abutting engagementwiththegasket. Itwill be' noted that the cup 1j9 and filter element. 2 8are. arranged eccentrically of. the inlet valve. defined. by, plate22and shee t*2'3. so that the cup and. filter element. dependsubstantially-beyond the lower side. of'the body. 10;

Arranged exteriorly of" andadjacent to. the. opening: 15 in the bottomside of body 10; is.a hollow, funnehlike metal mounting member or enhalaioninsert 30,, which converges upwardly-toward the elongatedopening 15..and isfi'xedly secured thereto by the upset edge portion. .31. Themountingmember or shell ,30 diverges downwardly, being. formed with a 1radially extending web. 32fconstituting a downwardly facing shoulderwith'a circumjacent aHuDlarfiange-34; and an inter nah bead 33intermediate the shoulder: 32: and lower-open endof flange- 34; It-wille no d that-the lowerend' 34 0fthemounting-menrber is; spaced,substantially above the lower end of the cup 19 ndzfilml' element 28,and is: of less transverse dimensiQn. than the latter, .sotastto beeffectively shielded thcrev by. An apertured plug or spider 35 is seatedin the lower end of the mounting member 38 in abutting engagement withthe shoulder 32 and retained therein by the bead 33. Closely adjacent toand underlying the plug 35 is a flexible, resilient valve sheet 36,preferably fabricated of rubber, and having an upwardly oflfset marginaledge portion 37. In the particular embodiment illustrated (see Fig. thesheet 36 is formed with an integral, central extension 38 which isfixedly secured within the plug 35 and retains the valve in its closelyunderlying position. It will be noted that the upturned marginal edgeportion 37 is in abutting engagement with the plug 35 and effectivelyseals the apertures of the plug against exterior fluid pressure.However, the sheet 36 and its marginal edge portion 37 are readilydisplaceable downwardly under increased fluid pressure within the bodyto permit escape of fluid therefrom.

It has been found, in practice, that by locating the outlet means,namely the exhalation insert member 30, spider 35 and valve sheet 36closely beneath the body 10 so as to be shielded by the cup 19 andfilter element 28, the

outlet means has been located out of the path of the dust or otherwiseimpure gases, so as to operate substantially trouble-free.

Extending about the periphery of the rear body edge 11 is aface-engaging member, generally designated 40. The face-engaging memberis preferably fabricated of flexible, resilient material, such as rubberor the like, and includes a bead 41 extending about the rear body edge11 and snugly embracing the latter. Although the face-engaging member 40is substantially self-retaining on the body 10 by reason of the snugengagement of the bead 41 with the body edge 11, a complementaryfastener element 42 is provided for securement to the element 13 inorder to assure proper circumferential relation between the parts, andfacilitate assembly. A flange 43 is offset inwardly from the head 41 andextends circumferentially thereabout and rearwardly therefrom. Theinward offsetting of the flange 43 serves to provide additionalresiliency for the latter, for reasons which will soon become apparent.It will be noted that the upper and lower flange portion, 44 and 45,respectively, diverge from each other, while the opposite side flangeportions 46, 46 extend substantially parallel in the rearward direction.Extending circumferentially along the rearward edge of the flange 43, isformed an outwardly extending lip 47.

As best seen in Fig. 3, the lower and side flange portions, 45 and 46,46, along with their adjacent rim portions, combine to define asubstantially arcuate lower segment. It will be further observed thatthe upper flange portion 44, the flange portions adjacent thereto, andthe adjacent rim portions, all combine to define a substantially ginverted, V-shaped peripheral upper segment, continuous with the lower,arcuate segment.

The above-described face-engaging member configuration has been found tobe ideally suited for conforming engagement with the large majority offacial contours. That is, the arcuate lower circumferential segment isconformably engageable with the chin and cheeks of the user, while theupper, inverted V-shaped circumferential segment is extremely wellsuited for conforming engagement with the nose of the wearer.

In addition to its other functions, the aluminum body 10 acts as a framefor the rubber cushion and thus eliminates the need for additional metalor rubber supports which are necessary to minimize mushrooming of rubberparts. Hence the combination rubber-aluminum body is shape-retaining.

It will be further noted that the cross-sectional thickness of the lowerarcuate segment, both the flange and rim, is substantially greater thanthat of the inverted V-shaped segment, as seen in Fig. 5. It has beenfound that the jaw and cheeks are capable of comfortably withstandinggreater pressures than is the nose, so that the increased section of thelower circumferential segment will serve to transmit greater pressurethan the relatively thin section of the upper circumferential segment.As the lower circumferential segment transmits the greater proportion offorce necessary to hold the respirator on the face in conformingengagement therewith, it has been found desirable to ofiset the flange45 a greater amount than the flange portion 44, to thereby affordgreater yieldability to the former. This difference in offset distancewill be readily perceived in Fig. 5. Further, it will be observed thatthe rim portion adjacent to the upper circumferential segment is reducedboth in thickness and lateral extent, so that it is now possible tocomfortably wear a conventional pair of spectacles at the same time asone is wearing the respirator of the present invention.

In order to put on the respirator, it is only necessary to place themask in position on the face and slip the headbands over the head. Oneof the headbands is worn over the ears on the back of the head and theother around the back of the neck. Of course, removal of the mask may beeffected by reversing this procedure. Hence,

. frequent removal and replacement of the mask without inconvenience ordiscomfort is permitted.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the present inventionprovides a respirator which fully accomplishes its intended objects, andwhich is well adapted to meet 7 practical conditions of use.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by wayof illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, itis understood that certain changes and modifications may be made withinthe spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as i new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A respirator comprising a hollow, open-ended body, engaging means onone end of said body extending about 'the periphery thereof and adaptedto conform with the facial contours of a wearer, an inlet valve on theother end of said body, an inlet filter means secured to said bodyeccentrically of said inlet valve and depending substantially beyondsaid body, and outlet means intermediate the ends of said body andshielded by the depending portion of said inlet filter, said outletmeans constituting an exhalation unit and comprising a metal mountingmember or holder, an exhalation valve and valve seat plug, said mountingmember being secured to and in communication with the body and having aweb circumjacent the mounting member and an annular flange extendingoutwardly from said web, said valve seat plug being apertured and beinglocated within said mounting member and abutting against said web, itscircumference fitting within said v flange, an annular head in saidflange extending inwardly against the valve seat plug to securely retainsaid plug 1n said member, said exhalation valve comprising a flexibleresilient sheet exteriorly of and closely underlying said plug, saidsheet having an upturned marginal edge portion outstanding flangefabricated of flexible, resilient material and extending along saidbead, said flange having an arcuate circumferential portion adapted toengage with the 'chin and cheeks of a wearer and an inverted V-shapedcircumferential portion adapted to engage over the nose of the wearer,said V-shaped portion being of relatively thin cross-section to apply aminimum of pressure to the nose.

3. A respirator according to claim 2, in combination with a flexible,resilient lip extending along the edge of said flange to affordsubstantial surface contact with the wearers face and effect sealing ofsaid contact.

, 5 4. A respirator according to claim 3, said lip being of 2,619,085lesser dimensions in 'the region of said V-shaped portion 2,668,532 topermit normal resting of spectacles on the wearers nose. 2,695,020

References Cited in the file of this patent 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS736,268 1,710,160 Gibbs Apr. 23, 1929 773,129

6 Bradley Nov. 25, 1942 Evans Feb. 9, 1954 Glidden Nov. 23, 1954 FOREIGNPATENTS Germany June 10, 1943 France Aug. 27, 1934

